A Brooklyn man is being held without bail after he was criminally charged with multiple commercial and residential burglaries during a five-week span in May and June that included the Boys & Girls Club of Metro Queens in South Richmond Hill.
Gregory Schroeder, 55, of Ridgewood Ave. in Cypress Hills, was arrested on Sept. 10 and booked at the 115th Precinct after an investigation by the NYPD’s Major Case Team.
Schroeder was arraigned in Queens Supreme Court later that day on a 10-count indictment charging him with burglary in the second degree, three counts of burglary in the third degree and other related crimes. Queens Supreme Court Justice Kim Peterson remanded Schroeder in custody without bail and ordered him to return to court on Oct. 15.
Schroeder was also arraigned in Queens Criminal Court on Sept. 10 for two additional incidents, charging him with burglary in the third degree, attempted burglary, criminal mischief and petit larceny. Judge Jennifer Saint-Preux set bail at $5,000 cash and $5,000 bond for each complaint and ordered Schroeder to return to court on Oct. 15. He remains remanded on the indictment.
According to the charges and investigation, on May 25, at approximately 8:51 a.m., Schroeder entered the Fordham Institute, a vocational training school on Jamaica Avenue in Woodhaven. He allegedly broke a glass window to an office and took $700 from a locked drawer. He is also alleged to have rifled through bags in two classrooms.
On June 1, at around 12:50 a.m. Schroeder broke into the BD Grill & Deli on 78th Street in Ozone Park and took $120 from the register. He is also alleged to have unlocked a safe and taken $4,400. He broke a glass door to exit the store.
On June 8, at approximately 10:37 p.m., Schroeder broke into QB Physical Therapy on Myrtle Avenue in Ridgewood and went through drawers and an office. He allegedly took $120 and an iPhone 14 Pro.
On June 17, at 10:25 p.m., Schroeder allegedly broke the lock for a roll-down gate at Pride Gas on Jamaica Avenue in Woodhaven and unsuccessfully attempted to pry open the front door.
On June 26, at approximately 10:20 p.m., Schroeder allegedly broke into the residential entrance of a mixed-use building on 101st Street in Ozone Park. He then allegedly opened the door to a second-floor apartment and fled when he observed the apartment resident inside.
On June 26, at approximately 10:55 p.m., Schroeder targeted the Boys & Girls Club of Metro Queens on Atlantic Avenue in South Richmond Hill. After breaking in, Schroeder allegedly took multiple MacBook computers, approximately $4,000 in cash, and a Nikon camera. He allegedly broke the locks on multiple office doors, resulting in approximately $500 worth of replacement costs.
Schroeder saved his lowest for last, ending his burglary spree by breaking into the Boys & Girls Club of Metro Queens and allegedly stealing $4,000 in cash, computers and a camera. QNS file photo
“As alleged, this defendant went on a five-week burglary spree breaking into businesses, a school, a non-profit and a private residence, stealing nearly $10,000 in cash and multiple computers,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said. “Gregory Schroeder caused hundreds of dollars in damage to the targeted buildings and will now face the consequences for his alleged actions. I thank my Strategic Investigations Bureau and our partners at the NYPD for disrupting this pattern burglary and apprehending this defendant.”
Schroeder is facing a minimum of 16 years to life in prison and a maximum of 25 years to life in prison on the top count of burglary in the second degree, if convicted.
“Gregory Schroeder allegedly burglarized commercial businesses, a school, and even a Boys & Girls Club over a five-week period this summer,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. “This defendant showed a complete disregard for the law, brazenly breaking in and stealing whatever he could find, from multiple computers to nearly $10,000 in cash. I want to thank the NYPD’s Major Case Team for leading this investigation and our partners in the Queens District Attorney’s office for holding this individual accountable.”